Blog

Laser Hair Removal and Botox Among Most Popular Cosmetic Procedures

Recently released data shows that a slow economy isn’t dragging down cosmetic procedures anymore, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, or ASAPS. In 2010, cosmetic surgeries jumped by 9% compared to 2009, with about 9.5 million procedures overall for the year. And the momentum shows no signs of stopping—in fact, since 1997, surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures combined have witnessed a 155% increase.

ASAPS’s report, which is released yearly, consisted of statistics regarding plastic surgery, dermatology, and ENT medicine. The most popular non-surgical procedures included Botox (over 2.5 million procedures), cosmetic fillers, and laser hair removal.

Here are some other interesting statistics from the ASAPS report:

Abdominoplasty, or “tummy tucks,” have increased in popularity by 300% since 1997.

Adults ages 35-50 were the most likely to have undergone a cosmetic procedure.

Men’s cosmetic surgery is becoming increasingly popular; in 2010, men accounted for 8% of cosmetic procedures.

Perhaps the growth in cosmetic procedures is related to the results of a recent survey, which revealed that more than half of Americans approve of plastic surgery for cosmetic ends. About 70% of the individuals surveyed reported that they would not be embarrassed about having a procedure for cosmetic reasons.